


Infinitesimal

by shyamentu



Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Angst, Not Canon Compliant, Time Loop, the cliff scene, you know the one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:08:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25106707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shyamentu/pseuds/shyamentu
Summary: The chances of recovering from mako poisoning were not high.It doesn't always happen.(Time-Loop / Alternate-Timelines Fic)
Relationships: (one-sided at least), Implied Sephiroth/Cloud Strife
Comments: 9
Kudos: 74





	Infinitesimal

Sephiroth took a deep breath and looked around.

Breaking through the barriers that kept the multiverse in order wasn't easy, and he didn't always know where, exactly, he would end up. It was endlessly fascinating to him. He'd seen worlds where he'd never been born. He'd seen ones where he had failed - far too many of those for his liking - and ones where he succeeded (and boy, did it turn out he was oddly territorial against other versions of himself checking out his world). He'd even seen one where he wasn't the threat at all, but his most precious enemy was. There had been something oddly pleasing about that one, where Cloud had been half-consumed by Jenova and his friends had been almost powerless to stop him. Until his own other self had come out of some self-imposed exile to stop the threat, of course.

Regardless.

He recognised where he was fairly easily - the wastelands that surrounded Midgar were as iconic as his own sword. Usually, when he broke through the barrier, it was like his location was tied to a significant event. He shuddered with glee as he remembered that time he'd arrived to see his younger self easily defeat Cloud in the Nibelheim Reactor. He called them anchor points in his head, moments in time where something in this world became different from his own. So, with the excitement of a child left unattended in a candy store, he scanned his surroundings for his anchor and oh-

Oh.

There was a twinge of something unrecognisable in his chest as he took in the sight.

Familiar, spiked black hair, cake with mud and blood. Those lovely blue eyes, once full of energy and hope, now pinched in pain and glazing over slowly.

Zack.

It wasn't the first time he'd seen this, but something in him - the last few fragments of his humanity, probably - hated it every time. He felt the J-Cells coursing through the young mans body, and his hatred of Hojo grew just a little more. He closed his eyes in mourning; he wasn't gone yet, but he would be in a moment. He knelt down by his once-ally's side and held his hand. He could only imagine how much it must hurt. He knew Zack usually died alone...so for once, he decided to sit and wait a while. Even if they were enemies, it must be terribly lonely to die without anyone by your side.

This was the most common anchor point for him. He usually walked away. He knew that his Cloud had truly beaten the odds when he'd survived here. He knew, because he'd seen how many times Cloud hadn't made it. Watching Cloud - whatever version of him - die always irritated Sephiroth. It always felt like something was being robbed from him. Cloud was his to kill, his to torment, his to control.

He glanced around. Maybe this was a time when Cloud would make it. He waited until the last of the warmth faded from Zack's hand before standing. He walked towards the rocks where he knew Zack always hid his little friend.

...

It wasn't going to be one where he survives.

If anything, the mako poisoning was worse than he'd ever seen it. He reached out for Cloud's mind. He wasn't sure why. It's not like Cloud was particularly... coherent at this point in any timeline. It was less understandable thoughts, more... sensations. Like when you're falling with your eyes closed. You don't see yourself fall, but your body knows you are.

And all Cloud felt right now was a combination of terror and abandonment.

Oh.

He thought Zack abandoned him.

Well... in a way, he kind of did. Dying was an awful lot like abandonment.

He wasn't sure what drove him to do what he did next.

Maybe just because he hadn't done it before. Maybe just because who was going to stop him.

He sat down next to Cloud. He manipulated his heart to beat - what use does a god actually have for internal organs, after all - and gently pulled Cloud to his chest.

"...you're not alone. Not this time. Treasure this. I won't be so kind next time," Sephiroth murmured.

Cloud was, as expected, silent. He only let out a small confused hum.

And... today was just full of first times. He reached up and pulled his gloves off, before sinking one hand into those ridiculous spikes. He'd... kind of always wanted to do that. They were much softer, much fluffier than he expected and he let out a content hum. Cloud seemed to relax, so he kept his hand there.

He settled down. Being a god was such busywork. It felt nice to take a little break.

So he sat, quietly, watching the sky and stroking Cloud's hair. He smirked, at one point, and began to recite Loveless to his should-be-foe.

He felt, more than saw, the life leave Clouds eyes. He sighed, as Cloud's body faded.

"...try to survive, next time."

**Author's Note:**

> I was describing this idea to a friend and made myself cry. I think it was a lot better in my head than this, but... I tried uwu
> 
> I'm in the middle of rewriting an older story, but once that's done, maybe I'll come back and explore the implications of timeline-hopping!Sephiroth.
> 
> Feedback and thoughts welcomed :)


End file.
